Q: What made you join Han Lin children’s shuochang group?

A: I used to listen to cross talks because my grandpa liked it, then it just grew into a habit. When I got older, I signed up for Han Lin children’s shuochang group.

Q: What’s your favorite type of shuochang?

A: I like fast clapper talks because clapping is interesting.

Q: (Continued from previous question) Did you start off by learning fast clapper talks?

A: Not exactly. I first finished advanced class, learned three-piece clapper, and then moved on to learning seven-piece clapper.

Q: What’s the most interesting part of the course?

A: It has to be cross talks because when our teacher is explaining the script to us, it made everyone laugh. I thought that was really interesting.

Q: Did you encounter any difficulties when learning shuochang?

A: I was afraid to go on stage sometimes, and there were also times when the script was so long that I had trouble memorizing it.

Q: How did you overcome it?

A: My teacher taught us to imagine the audience as rocks, and we should not be afraid of their eyes. As for memorizing the script, I realize there is no shortcut but to keep on practicing until we get everything down.

Q: How do you prepare yourself before going on stage? Can you share with us?

A: I usually read the script again before going on stage. So when I get on stage, I will not forget my lines.

Q: When you practice, have you encountered any difficulties?

A: Sometimes I got the intonation or diction wrong, and sometimes I forgot my lines.

Q: How do you overcome them?

A: I usually go over the ones that my teacher had corrected me on, and then I would practice those ones during the rehearsal. In the end, it’s up to me to get the problem corrected.

Q: When you are performing on stage, what are some things to watch out for?

A: You must always watch out for how fast you talk. You must articulate clearly, or otherwise the audience will not be able to understand your performance.

Q: Have you ever felt nervous or scared before going on stage? How did you overcome it?

A: That’s for sure. But, after getting more on-stage experiences, it starts to get better. The trick is not to look at the audience, so I just keep my gaze on the back of the room.

Q: After gaining performing experiences, did you feel differently about shuochang? (like shuochang more? like performing more?)

A: Shuochang is not difficult for me now because I’ve got the basics down pretty well when I first started learning.

Q: Would you want to continue learning shuochang?

A: Yes, that’s because I think shuochang is very interesting. Besides, my grandpa likes shuochang, so I want to perform for him.

Q: Will you go more in depth into any specific form of shuochang?

A: I want to keep learning fast clapper talks.